Shut Up And Kiss Me
by T.R. Normandin
Summary: Michael realizes the true meaning of home and Maria is struck speechless. For five seconds, anyway.


_Shut Up And Kiss Me_

_T.R. Normandin_

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Roswellians, the granolith, or anything remotely related to the show. Those belong to Jason Katims, Melinda Metz, and whatever network bought the rights to the DVD. I also don't own the song, which belongs to Rob Thomas and Willie Nelson. _

_Author's Note: As far as Roswell goes, I don't really believe in most of Season 2, as clearly, ALEX IS NOT DEAD. So let's say this is set early in Season 2 and is a little bit AU, obviously. _

Alex had finally helped them figure out how to use the granolith to get back home. Today was the day Michael was scheduled to leave this planet, and especially the podunk little town of Roswell, New Mexico, and finally go back where he belonged, with people who loved him. Michael had been waiting for this moment for his entire life, so why was he suddenly feeling sick to his stomach as he, Isabel, Max, and Tess trekked through the desert to the pod chamber?

Maria had not handled the news well. Michael's lips quirked. Okay, that was taking hyperbole to a whole new level. Maria had had one of her meltdowns which usually made Michael smile. He had found the whole thing amusing, really, until she had chucked one of the salt shakers at his head as they closed the Crashdown together a few days earlier. Those things _hurt_, damn it. When he asked her what her problem was, she had shouted that if he thought she was going to sit around and pine for him while he was going to some other planet as some sort of royalty slash celebrity he had another thing coming and don't you look at me that way buddy and then she had burst into tears and fled from the room, leaving Michael completely bewildered as to what to do.

So Michael had cleaned up the salt and finished closing the Crashdown, locking up behind him when he left. And he had returned to his apartment and crawled into bed, but he couldn't sleep. It annoyed him when he found his thoughts drifting to the smell of Cedar Oil and the feel of long blond curls between his fingers. He wasn't four years old, and Maria wasn't a teddy bear, for God's sake. Still, Michael hadn't slept well that night, or the two nights that followed.

Looking now at Izzy's face as they all stood waiting for the right moment to step into the granolith and go home, Michael thought she looked like she had had a few sleepless nights at well. Michael looked over at Max and saw that Max was crying openly. Well, that was to be expected, when Max was being torn from his beloved Liz Parker. Tess' face was the picture of calm, in fact she even looked a little bit excited, but that was because Tess wasn't leaving anything behind. Just like him. Michael wasn't leaving anything behind here.

_That's my favorite part, rewind my life on.  
When my world got dark, and you turned my light on.  
I watched it for hours again and again in my head.  
I did.  
I see I was down on you, more than I needed to be.  
I'd say I'm sorry but then you'd think I'm lyin'_

Unbidden, Maria popped into his mind. He saw clearly her face through a rainy window, yelling at him even though he couldn't understand the words, and then softening as he continued to silently plead with him. Maria's soft hands as she towel dried him and then ran her long fingers through his hair, saying _It's okay, you don't have to tell me_. Maria's lips on his in the eraser room. Maria's face as he took off his mask after his great wrestling match. Maria's body curled against his in his bed. Maria, standing beside him and telling him to try holding the key one more time. Maria was just everywhere in his head.

"I can't do this," Michael heard a hoarse voice say, and when he looked around and saw Isabel and Max's surprised faces, he realized he himself had spoken. "What?" Isabel whispered. "I can't go. I have to stay here," Michael said, with more conviction. "But Michael..." Isabel began in a panicked voice. Max's tears had dried up in shock. Tess looked unperturbed. Michael didn't really make a difference one way or the other in her plans. It was Max who mattered to her.

"Michael, what are you saying?" Max said. Michael rolled his eyes. Tell Max some complicated metaphor, and he could decipher it easily, but speak to him in plain English, and the guy just blinked at you like you were speaking in tongues. "I'm saying I'm not going. I'm staying–with Maria," Michael said, crossing his arms over his chest, and leaning back against the cave wall.

Isabel's eyes furrowed and Michael knew she was going to try to talk him out of his decision. Isabel could outargue just about anyone, but Michael was more stubborn than just about everyone. They were about to see what happened when an irresistible force met an immovable object.

"If we don't go now, we may never get another chance," Isabel pointed out. Michael wondered at her choice of pronoun, but simply nodded. "I know. I don't care. I can't leave here. Whatever's out there..." Michael gestured over his head, and couldn't believe he was about to say this, "It's not home. Home is here, in Roswell."

"So, you're an alien who's possessed. Think we could get our own reality show?" Max wondered, but everyone else ignored his attempt at humor. Isabel's eyes filled with tears. "Michael, we can't go without you. You're my brother, just as much as Max is," she whispered, reaching out to take his hand. Michael gave her hand a quick squeeze, and didn't release it, though he would have if it had been anyone but Izzy.

"I feel the same way, Iz, but I just can't go," he said finally. "Well, I guess that settles it then," said Max, a serious expression on his face. Isabel's eyebrows shot up and she turned to look at Max, though she didn't let go of Michael. "We're not going. Well, at least, I'm not. I can't say I'm disappointed. I'd rather stay here with Liz, but I wasn't going to let you go alone. I assume you feel the same way, Izzy?" Max said with a smile. Isabel's face cleared and she smiled, brilliantly. "Do you think Alex will be at the Crashdown at this time of night?" she asked. She, Max, and Michael moved toward each other and embraced. Michael was glad they were inside of a cave, in the middle of the desert, where no one could observe this display of affection. Especially Maria, who would probably crow with victory when she saw evidence of the fact that Michael did, indeed, have emotions.

A little cough had them all breaking apart, though Isabel kept her arm through Michael's and Max stood shoulder to shoulder with him. "Oh. Tess. Um...you can go ahead without us, if you want," Max said, apparently embarrassed that they'd forgotten her. Michael knew Tess would refuse to leave without Max even before she did it, but it didn't really matter to him one way or the other. Just as he didn't factor into Tess' plans, she didn't factor into his.

The four of them trekked back to the Jeep just in time to see the granolith burst out of the pod chamber and shoot off into the sky. Michael didn't even feel a fleeting sense of disappointment. Max and Izzy were beside him, and Maria would be waiting for him at the Crashdown, and he was home.

Michael jumped out of the Jeep and dashed to the back door of the Crashdown before Max had even parked. It was after closing, but Michael knew he could get in the backdoor. It never locked properly. He'd been telling Mr. Parker to get it fixed for ages now, and always worried when Maria closed by herself. He'd meant to fix it himself before he left, but he was glad it was broken now. He opened the door and slipped inside soundlessly. He paused at the swinging door out of the kitchen and into the dining room.

_Maria, shut up and kiss me.  
Stop shakin', stand up and hold me.  
I bet you're gonna miss me. You need me. Believe me._

Maria, Liz, Alex, and Kyle sat crammed into a booth, ice cream sundaes melting in front of each of them. Maria was swirling her sundae with her spoon and Michael could see that her hands were shaking and tears dripped down her face.

_Maria shut up and kiss me  
You're crazy and it turns me on and on  
The way you're carryin' on._

"Well, Lizzie, you're into science and all that stuff, and Alex, you're like a technical genius, so who's to say that if you devoted all of your time to it you couldn't design a space ship? I mean, _come on_, Nasedo did it!" Maria burst out suddenly, looking up to sweep a fierce gaze over Liz and Alex. She then went into a rant about space ships and aliens and the United States military, and conspiracies. Michael suppressed the chuckle, but barely. Just then, Max, Isabel, and Tess burst through the door behind him. Maria and the others must have heard the door as well, as they all stood up, shooting fearful looks toward the swinging door.

"Well, the good news is, it's probably just your garden variety homicidal killer or burglar. We won't have to worry about the FBI anymore," Alex announced. "Alex!" Liz reprimanded, elbowing him. At the sound of Liz's voice, Max pushed past Michael and entered the dining room.

_That's my favorite shirt, you always had on.Man, It sure looked good, ev'ry time you walked on.  
You're takin' the wind from me every chance that you could.  
You're good.  
Somethin' I can't explain.  
You tell me lately I've changed.  
If you feel better tell me why are you cryin'?_

_Maria, shut up and kiss me.  
Stop shakin', stand up and hold me.  
I bet you're gonna miss me. You need me. Believe me._

Maria shut up and kiss me  
You're crazy and it turns me on and on  
The way you're carryin' on.

Michael, Isabel, and Tess followed Max into the dining room and came to a stop in front of the booth where their friends were sitting. Kyle stood and propelled Tess over to the counter, saying something in her ear that made Tess smile. Isabel pulled Alex back into the booth and they began talking animatedly, while Max and Liz drifted over to the door to the back room, completely oblivious to anyone but each other. Michael stood, staring at Maria, his hands stuffed in his pockets.

Maria moved slowly toward him and he realized that she was wearing one of his Metallica shirts. It was so big on her that she could have put a belt on it and worn it as a dress, but instead she was wearing black leggings underneath it. Michael thought she looked adorable, and resisted the urge to jump forward and scoop her into his arms. He let Maria come to him. He suddenly had the urge to blurt out those three dangerous words to her, the ones he'd never said, even to Izzy and Max.

"Michael, you haven't left yet. Oh, I'm so glad!" Maria breathed as she reached him. She put her hands up to his face as though to assure herself that he was real. Her hands were still shaking. "If you're so glad, why are you crying?" Michael asked her. "Oh you don't understand anything, do you?" Maria said, waving this away. She swiped at tears in annoyance. "I'm glad to see you but still sad you'll be leaving. Only, I don't want to fight with you when you do. I don't want to be selfish. You've been waiting for this forever and of course you should go and see what you'll find. Wanting you to stay, wanting you to _want _to say, was selfish of me and I'm sorry. I don't want us to fight. I love you," Maria said in a rush. "Ditto," Michael said, gripping her arms, since she seemed unsteady on her feet.

"Ditto?!" Maria asked, fire flashing into her green eyes. Michael suppressed the smile. If she knew he found anything about this moment remotely amusing, she'd probably let out a war whoop and launch herself at him. And despite her size, Maria Deluca knew how to throw a punch.

_That's my favorite shirt, you always had on.  
Man, It sure looked good, ev'ry time you walked on.  
You're takin' the wind from me every chance that you could.  
You're good.  
Somethin' I can't explain.  
You tell me lately I've changed.If you feel better tell me why are you cryin'?  
_

_Maria, Maria can we talk it over instead?  
Let's call it even and leave it alone.  
Come to bed._

Maria took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and pressed her lips together. When she spoke again, her voice was calm. "Ditto to which part of that, Michael?" she asked. "Let's go home, and go to bed. I'm tired," Michael evaded her. Maria took a firm grip on his collar. "Ditto-to-which-part-Michael?" she repeated, spacing out each of the words.

_Maria, stop leavin' your teasin' is beaten me down.  
Maria just calm down  
In these situations I've found it's best not to be proud  
and say that you're sorry._

Michael heaved a sigh. "I don't want to fight with you either. I'd be sad to leave you too. I love you, too," he said, cupping her face as he said this last part. If he was going to have to say the words, he'd better get full credit for them. "Oh, Michael," Maria said, and tears spurted out of her eyes again. "Hold back on the waterworks. There's something else you need to know. I'm not leaving," Michael said. Maria's face went completely blank. "You're not leaving?" she asked. "Nope," Michael agreed, sticking his hands in his pockets again. "I mean, who'd keep you in line if I did? We both know Liz and Alex don't have the wit," he teased.

_Maria, shut up and kiss me.  
Stop shakin', stand up and hold me.  
I bet you're gonna miss me. You need me. Believe me._

Maria shut up and kiss me  
You're crazy and it turns me on and on  
The way you're carryin' on.

And it turns me on and on.  
on and on  
on and on  
And it turns me on and on.  
on and on  
on and on  
on and on and on and on...

"But what changed your mind? I thought this was the most important thing in the world to you, more important than hearing me sing as I recall, and you and Max and Isabel had some secret little society and you would only ever belong with other aliens and..." Maria babbled. Michael put a finger to her lips and the action shocked her so much that she actually shut up for a minute.

"Maria, shut up," he said. Maria fired up again. "If you think you can tell me to shut up, Michael Guerin..." she began but he smiled. There was more than one way to get her to be quiet. "It was you, okay? You changed my mind," he said and saw that she'd once again been struck speechless. "Now shut up and kiss me," he said, and Maria obliged.


End file.
